Albany south walk offered

This Saturday, May 9, is the first of several walks that the Kezar Lake Watershed Association (KLWA) is offering around some of the proposed Albany South timber harvest units within our watershed.

Albany South is a large “integrated resource management project” of the White Mountain National Forest that stretches from Great Brook in the northern reaches of the Kezar Lake Watershed eastwards towards Route 5 in Stoneham.

Within the Kezar Lake Watershed, the Forest Service has created 56 timber harvest units, totaling 1212 acres, where logging will occur. These 1212 acres are in the vicinity of Great Brook which provides approximately 1/3 of Kezar Lake’s inflowing water.

Since the Albany South proposal was released, the Forest Service has been collecting more information, reviewing comments received from concerned citizens, and considering alternatives to their original harvest plan. This forested watershed is a valued resource, so we appreciate the time taken to study it carefully, to consider alternatives, and to grant time for folks to walk some of the harvest units and better understand the scope of the project.

KLWA’s Albany South walks will be very informal—basically walks in the woods— with a goal to explore headwater steams and other water features within some of the proposed harvest units. We will be bushwhacking, so walking poles are recommended, along with water and bug dope, etc.

For each walk, we will meet at 154 Hut Road, at the corner of Hut Rd & Shirley Valley Lane. The walks will last 2 – 2.5 hours. We will explore a different area on each walk, providing a great way to gain familiarity with the northern part of our watershed.